Baseball

Baseball Defeats Iona, 10-4

BRIDGEPORT, CT -
Senior Jeff Heppner (Aqubogue, NY) and sophomore Hunter Phillips (Monroe, CT) pounded out four hits apiece and sophomore John Hermanson (Milford, CT) threw six innings for his first collegiate win as the Pioneer baseball team defeated Iona 10-4 on Wednesday.

Iona, 5-14, took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Michael Chiaravalloti doubled with two outs and scored when SHU rightfielder Rocco Gondek dropped a fly ball hit by Kyle Charron that would have been the third out.

The Pioneers, 7-11, got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Heppner led off with a single, went to third on a single by Phillips and scored on a wild pitch.

Freshman John Murphy (Seymour, CT) helped the Pioneers get things rolling in the fourth when he singled to lead off the frame. Heppner followed with a double to left center that chased Murphy home. Phillips tripled to right with one out to score Heppner and give SHU a 3-1 lead. Mike Olszyk (Hamden, CT) made it 4-1 with a single to right, scoring Phillips.

The Gaels got another unearned run in the top of the fifth when Charron hit another ball to right that was misplayed. He wound up on second on the error, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double play groundout.

SHU responded with three more runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-2 lead. After the first two batters were retired, Heppner tripled over the head of Gael centerfielder Anthony Muccio. JJ Edwards was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners and Phillips doubled down the left field line to drive home Heppner. Olszyk plated the last two runs of the inning with a soft liner to left.

Iona got another unearned tally in the top of the sixth off Hermanson. Catcher Chris Griffin reached on a throwing error by third baseman Edwards and scored on a Chiaravalloti single.

The Pioneers responded again in the bottom of the sixth with three more runs. Edwards atoned for his error, driving home two of them with a single.

Hermanson left after six innings, allowing just three hits and three unearned runs. He struck out four and walked one.

The Pioneers open up Northeast Conference play tomorrow when they host Quinnipiac at Harbor Yard at 3 pm.